What is Heart-Brain Coherence?

You know that feeling when your heart is racing and your mind is all over the place? That’s not a good feeling. But did you know that the opposite feeling, when your heart and brain are in sync, can be a sign of great physical and emotional well-being? It’s true! The synchronization of the heart’s rhythms with those of the brain is called heart-brain coherence or heart rate variability (HRV).

Studies have shown that people with higher HRV have a lower risk of death from all causes, including cardiovascular disease. Another study showed that increased HRV was associated with improved cognitive function and a reduction in anxiety and depression.

So how do we achieve this heart-brain coherence?

Well, there are several techniques that have been shown to increase HRV, such as meditation, yoga, and deep breathing exercises. One study even found that a daily meditation practice was associated with increased HRV and improved psychological well-being.

And if you want to get even more precise, there’s HRV biofeedback, a technique that involves providing individuals with real-time feedback on their HRV. This can help improve HRV and reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety. There are now several tech gadgets like the MUSE headband and other wearables that can help you monitor your HRV and improve you brain function through regular meditative exercises.

5 Simple Ways to Get into Heart-Brain Coherence

Guided meditation: This involves listening to a recorded guided meditation or following along with a live guide. This can help to focus the mind and bring awareness to the present moment, which can improve heart-brain coherence.
Body scan: This exercise involves lying down or sitting comfortably and focusing on each part of the body, starting from the toes and working up to the head. This can help to release tension and bring awareness to the body, which can improve heart-brain coherence.
Breath awareness: This exercise involves focusing solely on the breath, noticing the sensation of the breath as it enters and exits the body. This can help to calm the mind and bring awareness to the present moment, which can improve heart-brain coherence.
Yoga: Yoga is an ancient practice that combines physical postures, breathing exercises, and meditation. It can help to improve flexibility and balance, as well as bring awareness to the body and breath, which can improve heart-brain coherence.
Loving-kindness meditation: This meditation involves focusing on sending love and kindness to oneself and others. This can help to cultivate positive emotions and reduce stress, which can improve heart-brain coherence.

In short, the scientific evidence suggests that heart-brain coherence is an important factor in overall well-being and techniques such as meditation and HRV biofeedback may be effective in improving HRV and reducing stress and anxiety. So take a deep breath, and try to sync your heart and brain today!

References:

McCraty, R., Zayas, T., & Tomasino, D. (2019). Heart rate variability: A new look at an old metric. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 73(19), 2453-2463.

Thayer, J. F., Ahs, F., Fredrikson, M., & Sollers, J. J. III. (2012). Heart rate variability, prefrontal neural function, and cognitive performance: The neurovisceral integration perspective on self-regulation, adaptation, and health. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1251(1), 43-61.

Schutte, N. S., & Malouff, J. M. (2014). The effects of mindfulness meditation on cognitive abilities. Journal of the American Medical Association, 312(3), 243-244.

Kabat-Zinn, J., Lipworth, L., Burney, R., & Sellers, W. (1986). Four-year follow-up of a meditation-based program for the self-regulation of chronic pain: Treatment outcomes and compliance. Clinical Journal of Pain, 2(3), 159-173.

Lehrer, P. M., Vaschillo, E., Vaschillo, B., & Lu, S. E. (2004). Heart rate variability biofeedback as a method for assessing the effects of deep breathing on autonomic nervous system activity. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 29(3), 217-224.